If you were hungry and had no food, would you go to a food bank?

1. 59

   Eugene Hardyposted 11 years ago

   If you were hungry and had no food, would you go to a food bank?
   
   Hate to say it, but it is personal question.   
   
   Would you do it because you need food, or would you based on some other reason, wait until you get your unemployment check which is in 5 days?

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2. 67

   ptosisposted 11 years ago

   Yes, food banks  in every town. Have to be 55/older for the cheese & powdered milk, eggs - everybody else get starches:, stale bread, mac & cheese boxes, pasta,  tomato sauce, cans of beans, peas, corn.
   
   Rarely is there meat but if have -  it's canned tuna, or out of date restaurant sized packages. Even rarer: frozen chicken about 2-3 times a year.
   
   Some food banks better than others. In Tacoma, WA there was for diabetics only that gave healthy foods because the regular food bank only gave out bakery goods of cakes, donuts and other sugary stuff that is not healthy.
   
   In Honolulu Hawaii. people used to go dumpster diving for bakery goods until the owner found out and put a lock on the dumpster so people can't eat.
   
   People go dumpster diving on a regular basis - watching when supermarkets dump old fruit and vegetables but the really big stores like Walmart do not have open dumpsters and it's all contained and crushed.
   
   You would be amazed at the amount of good food thrown away everyday in America. I can get better food out of a dumpster than at a food bank because vegetable/fruits are healthier than the starchy crap at a food bank.
   
   There is no shame in going to a food bank in comparison to dumpster diving.
   
   BTW: grocery stores do give stale bread, fruits/veges to foodbanks - but the volunteers help themselves to the good stuff and the clients get the stale bread. Once on a Friday afternoon I saw the vegetables taken from the food bank - only to find the same pickup truck selling the donations at the flea market Saturday morning.
   
   And yes, I  told the food bank about it. That was total B.S. thing to do.

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   1. 0

      jonnycomelatelyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, I helped out at a Christmas Day free lunch for the "down-and-outs" one year.     Yet, by the end of it I was literally disgusted at the numbers of families, kids, and everyone who were obviously well off..... there just through laziness!

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   2. 71

      stanwshuraposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I have a VERY hard time imagining the well off (nice home, 2 cars, full 'fridge, big screen in the f.r., closets full of Armani suits, diva dresses, and top brand kids' wear, etc. choosing to be "lazy", get dressed up (pride) and do the food bank!

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3. 75

   Li Galoposted 11 years ago

   A HUGE amount of food is thrown away/given away by grocery stores and area bakeries.  Many other people in better financial circumstances, donate food or money to food banks.  If you NEED the food, you should never hesitate to go get it at a food bank.  Later, when your circumstances improve, you can always donate to the same food bank in order to help someone else.  I personally admire the dumpster divers who get perfectly good food out of grocery dumps.  I have never done it but it's terrible to realize how much food is thrown away by grocery stores when so many people are going hungry.  While food banks may not always have enough to feed everyone as much as they'd like to, I think someone being 'a little bit hungry' is a lot better than someone just outright starving.

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   1. 59

      Eugene Hardyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I found that it is a deeply personal experience, and that I had to do what would help me feel better about myself, so I walked to my nearest supermarket and used the bus-fare I would have used to get to a food bank and back.

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4. 70

   yeagerinvestmentsposted 11 years ago

   That's a tough question. I would have to swallow my pride and go because I have a family to provide for. If it was just me, I would probably try and get by until my check came, but being in that situation before I ended up racking up debt on a credit card.

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   1. 59

      Eugene Hardyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Just got back.
      
      I looked at my bus fare, then I looked at the list of food banks, and decided to buy cheap oatmeal and sugar.  I'm by myself, but I have done the food banks before for my family.
      
      Today I keep my pride....

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   2. 71

      stanwshuraposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      You'd never lost it, sir!  These "safety nets" as some lucky ones call them - are there, righteous, and needed.  They don't realize that "net" is inapt, as you'd already face-planted on one hard road & were picking up, dusting off, moving on - ag

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5. 62

   sethpowersposted 11 years ago

   No way man. I would stay fat on my pride until there was no more left then I would just sit in my squalid living room and wither away into the darkness.
   
   Seriously, what kind of a question is this? Food banks exist to help people survive when they don't have other means of nourishment. It's not embarrassing to go to one.That's what they are there for. No rational person would turn down free food to starve themselves. We're talking about survival here.

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   1. 71

      stanwshuraposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Seriously not raggin' on you, but I think you just called yourself irrational!  No shame in going (true), but you'd sooner starve than go to one?  Not sure I understand.

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   2. 59

      Eugene Hardyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      @stanwshura
      The top part I believe to be sarcasm, the lower a more reasonable response.  I myself admit to sometimes not being rational, liking my pride and hunger irrational source of inspiration for poetry and life experience.

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   3. 62

      sethpowersposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Stanwshura, the top was thinly veiled sarcasm. The word "seriously" at the beginning of the second paragraph helps you distinguish this fact.
      
      Eugene, if your proud to the point of starving yourself to death, then I'm not sure the point of asking.

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   4. 59

      Eugene Hardyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      @sethpowers
      It wasn't a pride question, but pride on my part had some influence.  I had to choose between using my last bit of bus-fare to go to food bank with the risk of being turned away, or buy cheap oatmeal. 
      
      I'm happy I love oatmeal!

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   5. 71

      stanwshuraposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      D'oh!  Tha-yer'z yer sahn!  An' I walked right into it!

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6. 55

   whonunuwhoposted 11 years ago

   Yes, especially for my other family members.

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7. 62

   Lisa HWposted 11 years ago

   There's no real, good, reason whatsoever why someone who is hungry should not go to a food bank.  Everyone knows that "in his head".  Still, I imagine myself being hungry and faced with the option of going to a food bank, here's what my answer would be:
   
   If I had hungry children I'd go to the food bank.  End of story.
   If it was just I who was hungry, it would depend on how hungry I was and how long I'd have be hungry if I didn't go.
   
   To be honest, if I were at least able to afford a box of saltines and, maybe, a few packs of Ramen noodles; healthy-eating or not, I'd opt for living on those for as long as I could.  An unhealthy diet doesn't kill anyone immediately, so I'd go with that for as long as I could.
   
   If I had absolutely no food and was at risk of heading toward actual starvation (as opposed to "just" malnutrition") then I'd go to a food bank.  I'd probably aim to get to one outside my own community; because - whether people like it or not - once neighbors know a person is struggling to eat it DOES change how they view (and more importantly, treat) the individual (maybe forever).  If I were at risk of serious starvation then obviously I'd have to overlook that "disadvantage" and just go to a local food bank.
   
   Basically, I wouldn't be willing to die or suffer more than I have to with hunger over the issues associated with being on the receiving end of charity, so I'd wait as long as I could before sacrificing my own sense of privacy and going to a food bank.  Something else, too, though; and that is that I think a lot of people who could stand to hold off on taking food from food banks feel freer than they should; and as a result, some people may be taking food from others who need it far more desperately.  Depends on the food bank, the community, and the inventory; I suppose.

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   1. 59

      Eugene Hardyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      As it is, I'm by myself.
      
      It's only five days and I do not think I'll starve to death.  So instead of using the little money I had for bus-fare to the food bank I bought oatmeal.
      
      Times like this inspires me to write.

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   2. 0

      jonnycomelatelyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Good, wholesome food is worth contributing to the food bank, but not junk food.  Oats is wholesome!

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8. 83

   bethperryposted 11 years ago

   Certainly I would; in fact several months back when my husband was laid off our family did take groceries from our local food bank. And when we were back on our feet we donated groceries back. If you are without food, my friend, I suggest you turn to these local charitable souls for help. You can always give back later and in this there is no shame, just a cycle of giving Gods bless!

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9. 74

   backporchstoriesposted 11 years ago

   I have been unemployeed for 8 months now and am very thankful to the food bank in our area.  My husband is on disability and it is a struggle to find jobs living in the countryside.  I don't feel shame but am paying attention to the experience, learning how to give back when I am capable.  The last job I had was at an all male saddle shop.  I was the only woman and 52 to boot....they gave me a hard way to go.  I got harrassed badly and my work sabatoge.  This was a small company that I could not fight the fight so I walked.  My sanity was worth more!  However, we take the food with gratitude and are amazed at how the faith we have in the Creator has so far sustained us.

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   1. 59

      Eugene Hardyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I made the call to a food bank this morning. 
      For myself I had a dilemma: use my bus-fare to get food from a food bank that might turn me away or buy oatmeal and hang on for 5 days.
      
      I hope to never make that decision again.

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10. 71

    stanwshuraposted 11 years ago

    Hell, yes, if I needed to make use of such services or resources, I'd do a tiny swallow of my pride, as it would be nervousness more than that.  I see no shame in asking for help when you need it.  The flip side (morally at the very least) is that you give help when you can. 
    
    Because of who/how I am, and certain obstacles that I'll face for the rest of my life, it may take me quite awhile to A.) learn that said help is available B.) how to get/apply for/locate it and C.) what are ALL the conditions, rules, tools, connections, procedures, et cetera, to improve my place in life such that I am in a position to do the same for anyone else I can.

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11. 68

    onegoodwomanposted 11 years ago

    IF I were hungry.................what would I do?
    
    
    Who knows?    Thanks to God, husband, Dad and brothers, I have NEVER been hungry.
    
    Now, let us bring in the " enviromentalists".

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12. 72

    Ciel Clarkposted 11 years ago

    I was taken as a child to eat once in a soup kitchen.  I remember feeling kind of embarrassed and wondering-- should we be here?  I don't know the whole situation, but I know I was told that it is okay to ask for help, and then remember to help others.  I haven't forgotten that. 
    
    Oatmeal is good!  Beans, green veggies, and apples also...

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    1. 59

       Eugene Hardyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks!  As soon as my check gets here I'll buy a bigger box of oatmeal, with fixings for salads.

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